1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus and control method for such apparatus, and relates more particularly to an image reading apparatus having two or more image sensors and to a method for controlling operations of the sensors in such an apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Continuous forms printers that print receipts and tickets on roll paper or continuous form paper and slip (cut-sheet) printers that print on personal checks and other types of checks are widely used. Such printers include hybrid printers in which a single printing apparatus has both a print function for printing continuous forms (roll paper) and a print function for printing slips.
A hybrid printer of this type is shown in FIG. 12. The hybrid printer 310 has an opening 321 formed in the top of the case 320 for loading roll paper P, and an internal compartment 322 for holding the roll paper P. The roll paper P is held so that it can rotate freely inside the compartment 322. The leading end of the roll paper P is pulled out from the front inside the case 320 through a transportation path 323 that is formed when the cover 330 is closed. A thermal print head 324 is located on this transportation path 323 for printing on the roll paper P.
The cover 330 opens and closes the loading opening 321, at the top front of which is a slip loading surface 331 for inserting slips. A slip guide 332 is formed along the direction of slip S insertion on one side of the slip loading surface 331. When the cover 330 is closed, an opening 325, which acts as an exit for roll paper P, is formed by the gap between the case 320 and the end of the cover 330 at a position lower than the slip loading surface 331. A slip printing unit 360 is further disposed at the top back side of the cover 330. See, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (kokai) 2001-341369, page 5 and FIG. 2.
Image scanners for capturing images of checks and other slip forms, or personal identification presented for verification, such as driver licenses, credit cards with photographic ID, and other photo IDs, are sometimes installed for use in conjunction with hybrid printers such as described above. Hybrid printers having a built-in image scanner are also increasingly common.
Because media thickness varies greatly between such personal identification as driver licenses and other photo IDs and slips such as checks, it is difficult to scan both types of media with a single image sensor. As a result, two image sensors must be provided in a single hybrid printer in order to process two different types of media such as thick personal identification and much thinner slips.
However, conventional devices with multiple image sensors require an initialization operation including sending configuration signals that must be executed every time the scanner to be used changes. A certain amount of setup time is therefore required by this initialization operation in this type of apparatus, and switching between the scanners becomes time-consuming.